Politico: Perry will announce presidential intentions Saturday

Texas’ Gov. Rick Perry has long been rumored to be considering a run for the White House, but his intentions will be made clear Saturday.

Perry will announce he’s running for president during a speech in South Carolina on Saturday, according to Politico‘s two sources familiar with the plan.

Texas governor will remove any doubt about his White House intentions during his appearance at a RedState conference in Charleston.

While the Legislature was in special session, the Houston Chronicle reported that Perry was focused on the task at hand and put the hefty decision to run on hold. The special session ended June 29, and Perry has had some time for private meetings in Austin to build a campaign late in the game. The Austin American-Statesman reports:

Perry has been building to a campaign for weeks, meeting in Austin with supporters from around the country who could raise him hundreds of thousands, or millions, of dollars. He will get a late start in the race but is likely to be a major contender for the Republican nomination because of his fundraising prowess and his appeal to social and fiscal conservatives.